Abstract: A tool (10) for the installation and removal of back pressure valves or plugs in a wellhead under pressure conditions to permit repair and replacement of wellhead outlet valves. The tool (10) comprises an elongate cylindrical housing (31, 32, 33) in which a manipulator rod (30) is slidably mounted in axial alignment therewith. The tool (10) includes a piston (55) which is sleeved about the rod (30) and adapted to be selectively clamped thereto. The manipulator rod (30) is provided at one end with a back pressure valve of plug (84) attached thereto. The tool (10) includes a fluid controls system which is connectable to an external fluid pressure source (P) or the pressure of the well itself.

Abstract: A sealing connection for the passage of a fluid control line through adjoining members. The connection comprises a metallic tubular sealing element (10) provided with tapered end portions, each end having internal frusto-conical surfaces (32, 33) and external frusto-conical surfaces (41,43) in coaxial alignment with the bore (31) through the element (10). The external frusto-conical surfaces (41, 43) provide metal-to-metal sealing with aligned frusto-conical seating surfaces (62, 54) in opposed pockets (51, 61) formed in aligned portions (28a, 29) of the control line at their respective openings at the adjoining surfaces of the adjoined member (13, 12).

Abstract: A geothermal wellhead assembly (22) has a casing head (26). An inner casing (12) within the casing head has a restrained lower end portion and an unrestrained upper end portion extending above the casing head. An expansion spool (28) is mounted on the upper end of the casing head and receives the upper end portion of the inner casing. An expansion sleeve (92) fits within the expansion spool. The outer surface (94) of the expansion sleeve is adjacent the inner surface (60) of the expansion spool and an annular space (98) is defined by the inner surface (96) of the expansion sleeve and the outer surface (76) of the inner casing. A packing assembly (108) is mounted within the annular space and extends in sealing relation between the inner casing and the expansion sleeve. The packing assembly is movable with the upper end portion of the inner casing as the inner casing moves longitudinally in response to temperature changes within the wellhead.

Abstract: A wellhead sealing assembly comprising a metallic sealing ring (10) which is compressed and deformed by tubing hanger load and fluid pressure to establish metal-to-metal sealing contact with the tubing hanger (20) and the tubing head (30). The outer surface of the sealing ring includes an upper cylindrical surface (11) and a lower downward facing frusto-conical surface (16) which coact respectively, with the bore wall of the tubing head (30) and an upward facing frusto-conical shoulder (33) in the tubing head bore (32). It is also provided with an annular end surface (13) which is radially transverse to the ring axis and coacts with a corresponding downward facing shoulder (22) on the tubing hanger (20) which seats thereagainst.

Abstract: A packing support assembly (10) adapted to be sleeved about a well casing ("C"), or the like, and secured thereto without the need for piercing the casing wall or welding thereto. The support assembly (10) comprises an anchor ring (11) which is sleeved about the casing ("C") and secured thereto by a first fastening means in the form of a plurality of circumferentially located fastening means such as radial bores (22) and set screws (31). The anchor ring (11) is provided with flexible fingers (61) having ridged surfaces (16) which are also adapted to rip the external wall of the casing ("C"). The flexible fingers (61) are wedged inwardly to grip the casing ("C") by means of a retainer ring (71) which is threaded onto the exterior of the anchor ring (11) and provided with an internal wedging surface (75) which is slidably engageable with cooperating wedging surfaces (52) on the exterior of the flexible fingers (61) of the anchor ring (11 ).

Abstract: A manually set relay valve (38) for controlling fluid flow to and from a valve actuator (14). A slide valve (60) is manually pulled outwardly to the set or open position and held therein by pilot pressure applied to a piston chamber (46) through a passage (110) in the slide valve (60). When the slide valve (60) is tripped to the closed position due to an interruption of pilot pressure, a cross port (112) of the fluid passage (110) vents the piston chamber (46) to maintain the relay (38) closed until manually reset.

Abstract: A metallic sealing ring assembly (10) for sealing an annulus between metallic surfaces of concentric tubular members. The assembly comprises a central metallic sealing ring (11) having flared upper and lower annular flanges (14, 15, 16, 17) at both its inner and outer peripheries. The sealing ring 11 is sandwiched between upper and lower adapter rings (12, 13) disposed concentric therewith and formed with bevelled annular edges (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) which contact flared surfaces (14a, 15a, 16a, 17a) of the sealing ring flanges (14, 15, 16, 17) at a mating angle of five degrees. When axially compressed, the annular flanges of the metal sealing ring (11) are deflected radially and at their tips are deformed and extruded against the surfaces of the members (18, 19) defining the annulus to establish metal-to-metal seals therewith.

Abstract: A safety valve (14) adapted to be inserted within a flowline (10) comprises an elongate valve body (16) having central bore (24) with a fluid inlet (40) and a fluid outlet (42) in fluid communication with the bore (24). A slidable valve element (50) having a fluid passage (62) therein is mounted within the bore (24) and is slidable between the seated and unseated positions. A stop member (108) is mounted on the valve body (16) for relative movement between extended and retracted positions and has a stem which extends within the bore (24) along the longitudinal axis of the valve body (16). During normal operation valve element (50) is in a seated position and stop member (108) is in a retracted position, and thus, fluid flows from the fluid inlet (40) to the fluid outlet (42).

Abstract: A steam separator (10) has a generally horizontal baffle plate (18) which separates the separator vessel (12) into an upper steam chamber (20) and a lower water chamber (22). The baffle plate (18) has a central opeing (51) which provides a flow passage to permit steam from the water chamber (22) to rise into the steam chamber (20). A steam outlet (28, 100) is connected to the vessel (12) for discharging steam from the steam chamber (20). The baffle plate (18) has a plurality of openings (62) at the periphery thereof, and each opening (62) has a scoop (60) associated therewith. Each scoop (60) extends over its respective opening (62) and faces in substantial opposition to the direction of motion of the swirling fluid to receive and direct the swirling fluid into the water chamber (22).

Abstract: A pilot line-operated control valve (32) for an actuator (14) that operates a gate valve (12) in the main flowline (10). A slide valve (70) having a piston (76) on its inner end is mounted in a longitudinal bore (46) of the elongate valve body (40) for movement between an open position in which fluid is directed to actuator (14), and a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing to actuator (14). A fluid isolated pilot blocking portion (98) of slide valve (70) is oriented such that once slide valve (70) moves to the closed position, pilot blocking portion (98) abuts pilot port (56) so as to block pilot line fluid pressure from acting on slide valve (70) under any operating conditions, including even a resumption of fluid pressure in the pilot line (30), when slide valve (70) is in the closed position. The so-called push-type control valve (32) is reset by manually pushing slide valve (70) inwardly.

Abstract: A packing assembly is mounted in the annular space between a tubing hanger and a tubing head of a wellhead assembly. The packing is bottomed on a shoulder of the tubing hanger and energized after the tubing hanger has been fully seated within the tubing head by the injection of a lubricant or the like against an upper annular piston member which compresses the packing. The piston member is locked to the tubing hanger after the packing has been compressed between the facing annular surfaces of the tubing head and tubing hanger and the entire packing assembly then moves with the tubing hanger.

Abstract: A tubing string (86) is connected at its upper end to a hanger (42) and has its lower end anchored within an outer casing. The hanger and tubing string are lifted from a position below the wellhead assembly to tension the tubing string a desired amount. The hanger has a plurality of guide pins (90) extending from and spaced about the outer periphery of the hanger. Upon lifting of the hanger and suspended tubing string, the guide pins enter inverted J-slots (62) in the hanger bowl (30) which receive and guide the pins to a seated position on the bowl.

Abstract: A flow control valve 30 between a geothermal wellhead and a steam separator 22 is responsive to fluid pressure flowing through the wellhead to the separator and varies the flow rate to the separator 22 in response to the pressure to equalize the flow to the separator 22. A Y-type expansion spool 14 on the wellhead has a pair of auxiliary inlets 76, 78. One of the auxiliary inlets 76 has an auxiliary hanger 88 therein to suspend flexible tubing 94 for the injection of chemicals into the well and the other auxiliary inlet 78 provides an entrance 122 for taking a steam sample and permitting a tool to be inserted within the well.

Abstract: A relay valve for controlling fluid flow to and from a valve actuator included in a safety system for a flowline such as a production line of an oil or gas well. The relay includes a slide valve (60) which is manually pushed inwardly to the open or set position and held therein by pilot fluid which is also applied to the valve actuator. A visual indicator mounted on a knob (102) of the slide valve is operated by fluid applied to a passage (96) formed in the slide valve. A vent port (82) prevents pilot pressure from moving the slide valve from the closed position to the open position. A modified relay valve (150) has separate inlet ports (198 and 200) for receiving pilot fluid and actuator fluid and a vent port (206) which is in direct fluid communication with the pilot port in the closed position of the slide valve.

Abstract: A bottom outlet cyclone steam separator having a baffle plate (18) which separates the separator vessel (12) into a steam chamber at the top and a water chamber at the bottom. An inlet (24) to the vessel admits an incoming mixture of steam and water in a swirling flow pattern to provide centrifugal action which separates the water from the steam. A plurality of open ended scoops (52) are spaced around the periphery of the baffle plate (18) to direct water into the water chamber through openings (50) of the baffle plate which underlie the scoops.

Abstract: A relay valve for controlling fluid flow to and from a valve actuator included in a safety system for a flowline such as a production line of an oil or gas well. The relay includes a slide valve (60) which is manually pushed inwardly to the open or set position and held therein by pilot fluid which is also applied to the valve actuator. A visual indicator mounted on a knob (102) of the slide valve is operated by fluid applied to a passage (96) formed in the slide valve. A vent port (82) prevents pilot pressure from moving the slide valve from the closed position to the open position. A modified relay valve (150) has separate inlet ports (198 and 200) for receiving pilot fluid and actuator fluid and a vent port (206) which is in direct fluid communication with the pilot port in the closed position of the slide valve.

Abstract: A manually reset control valve (28) to control the flow of fluid to a fluid actuator (22) in a safety system for closing a valve in a main flowline (10) upon the reaching of predetermined high and low pressures in the main flowline. The control valve includes an elongate housing having a supply port (26) and a bleed port (124) for the actuator, and a sensing port (34) for monitoring the fluid pressure in the main flowline. The valving in the bore of the housing includes a pressure sensing valve mechanism (42) and a control fluid valve mechanism (44). Pressure sensing valve mechanism (42) includes a high pressure spring (94) responsive to a predetermined high pressure in the flowline to actuate the valving and a low pressure spring (58) responsive to a predetermined low fluid pressure in the flowline to actuate the valving for bleeding the actuator.

Abstract: A cyclone type steam separator (10) having a square inlet opening (46) which may be adjusted in size by means of an inlet control device (20). The device includes a rigid body (62) having perpendicular arms which form two sides of the square opening. The other two sides are formed by sliding bars (108 and 110) which are connected slidably with the arms and which overlap with one another to define a stationary corner of the opening. The body may be adjusted to vary the effective length of each side of the opening, with one side remaining on the outer side of the inlet conduit to direct the incoming fluid into the steam separator along the inside surface of the separator vessel.

Abstract: An improved pilot valve mechanism for controlling the flow of a pressure medium responsive to predetermined variations in a pressurized system. The pilot valve mechanism is constructed in such manner that a plurality of pilot valves may be connected in an assembly and may be operative to shut down operation of a flow system responsive to sensing of pressures that are above or below a predetermined range of operating pressure.Each of the valves may include a shuttle valve mechanism capable of interrupting fluid communication between the inlet and outlet of the pilot valve mechanism or between the outlet and vent thereof, depending upon the position of a shuttle valve actuating piston that is proportionally movable responsive to variations in the pressure that is sensed by the pilot valve mechanism. Movement of the shuttle valve actuating piston and the shuttle valve are controlled by an urging means that may be adjustably preset for a particular high or low pressure.

Abstract: An electro-pneumatic or electro-hydraulic safety system for shutting in a well or the like in the event of unusual pressure conditions in the production line of the well. The safety system includes a pressure transducer (30) which senses the flowline pressure and provides a corresponding electrical signal to a digital controller (34). When the signal applied to the controller is outside of a preset range defined between low and high settings of the controller, a control circuit deenergizes a solenoid valve which bleeds fluid from a fluid actuator in order to close a surface safety valve (10). Once the safety valve has closed, the controller is latched out of service and must be manually reset before the safety valve can be opened. For protection of a subsurface safety valve (155), the safety system provides a time delay between opening of the subsurface valve and opening of the surface valve and also between closing of the surface valve and closing of the subsurface valve.